Fruit-slicer.



PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905n W. H, BUUTELL.

FRUIT SLIUER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAE.19,1900.

3 SHEETS-4311551. l

No. 784,029. PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905. W. H. BOUTELL.

FRUIT SLICBR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 19, 1900.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 784,029. I PATENTED MAB. '7, 1905.

W. H. BOUTELL.

FRUIT SLIGER.

APPLICATION FILED 16113.19, 1900.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

714 29665565,- JiZW/ZZQ? aw m a MW No. 784,029. I

lJNlTE STATS Patented March '7, 1905.

ATElt FlFlbCi-E,

WILLIAM H. BOUTELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSlt-RNOR TO BOUTELL MANUFACTURING- COMPANY, OF ROOHES'ITEh, NEW YORK, A OOltPORA'llON OF NEW YORK.

FWUlT SLlCIEH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,029, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed March 19, 1900. Serial No. 9.303.

1'0 (LZZ whom it 'II'h/bj/ (ZOIMIEPIL:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BoU'rnLL, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Slicersg and .I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to machines for slicing fruit adapted particularly for operating upon cored apples and of that class embodying a series of stationary knives and a rotary carrier having separate pushers forming pockets for carrying the apples over the knives whereby successive slices are removed from the latter; and it consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts by means of which the apples are automatically fed singly to the carriers and whereby the construction and operation of the parts are simplified, all

' as will be hereinafter fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of a slicer constructed in accordance with my invention, in which a few of the arms forming the fruit-pockets have been shown in dotted lines to permit illustrating underlying parts of the device; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an end view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 52, showing the feeding device; Fig. 4c, a sectional view on the line 4t 4 of Fig. 1, illustrating the slicing operation. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line m m of Fig. 1.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts.

1 indicates the main table or horizontal support provided with legs or standards 2 and having at intervals apertures 100 for the passage of the fruit slices, as will be described.

3 indicates a thin board or fruit-su 'iport upon the table 1, preferably circular and provided with apertures 10, corresponding with those in the main table 1, and at the point where the fruit to be sliced first falls upon it provided with slightly inclined or beveled portions or surfaces 60, as shown in Figs. land t indicates the slicing-knives, constructed of thin metal sharpened at one edge and sccured at their outer ends by bolts 5 to a ring 6 at the periphery of the support l, and cxtending inwardly slightly tangentially oi the center oi said support 3, their inner ends being secured by bolts 8 to an annular curb or ring 7.

11 indicates a vertical arbor or shat't supported at opposite ends in bearings 12 and 1E) and having secured to it above the lruit-support a rotary head or fruit-carrier embodying a circular plate or drum l t, to which are socured at intervals arms or sweeps to, extending radially over the ring or curb to form movable compartments and curved forward at the outer end in the direction oi movcmentot' the carrier and the under side being inclined relative to the plane oi the knives and provided with curved and inclined plates or pushers l5 in the corners, forming, in eiiect, pockcts above the knives inclined at the u pper end in the direction of movement of the carrier. The plates 15 are provided with bolts 18, passing through vertical slots in the arms and se curing-nuts thereon, so that they may be adjusted toward or from the knives. The forward inclination of the pushers causes a downward as well as a forward movement ol the fruit and holds the latter in proper position to have the slices removed from its bottom as it is moved over the knives successively.

17 indicates stripping or clearing arms extending radially from the head or carrier beneath the knives and in rear of the pnshe-rs, so as to strip the slices oi the fruit from the latter and cause them to Fall through the apertures in the table or support, thereby preventing the machineirom becoming clogged.

The ring or curb 7, engagil'ig the inner ends of the knives, is provided with a series of inwardly-projecting arms 22, each having an adjustable bearing-stud .23 at their ends resting upon and supporting the ring by a sliding contact upon a circular track or raised portion 24. on the carrier-head 14L. 'llhis construction perskilled in the artthat is to say, cored fruit placed upon the fruit support or table 3 at or in rear of the inclined surfaces thereof and in front of the pushers will be moved over and toward the knives as the carrier is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. l, causing slices to be removed and the knives cleared by the arms 17. The inclined surfaces 60 on the support 3, over which the fruit is pushed, (see Fig. 5,) jars and turns the fruit, causing it to slide on its flattened end, the core-aperture extending vertically relative to the knives, so that it will be severed into rings, and as the pushers pass over the surfaces 60 it is only necessary to feed the fruit here or at some point on the support ahead if it is so that each pusher may take a fruit, and the operation of slicing will be continuous.

37 indicates a chute or way slightly inclined, as shown, and having its discharge-point just over the path described by the pushers or heads and in front of the surfaces 60 of the support 3, so that fruit descending the chute will fall in proper position to be operated upon by the pushers. While the separate pieces of fruit could be fed into the chute successively by hand or otherwise supported in front of the pushers on the carrier, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide an automatic machine capable of being operated by power, and 1 therefore employ a feeding device which will deliver single apples or other fruit into the chute at the proper time to cause one to enter each of the pockets in the carrier in front of the pushers, and thereby dispense with feeding by hand. In carrying out this portion of my invention 1 provide-a suitable receptacle or hopper, having the inclined bottom 34 and the converging sides 35, arranged to discharge the cored fruit beneath the center of a rotary member or fruitelevating device having a series of spaced open-sided pockets, consisting in the present instance of elevating plates or blades 33, concaved slightly in cross-section and arranged on arms 32, attached to a hub 31 on the rotary shaft 27, said plates being inclined toward the end board 36 of the receptacle, so as to form with said end board open-sided pockets for receiving the fruit at the bottom and delivering it to the chute 37, the mouth of which is somewhat elevated above the bottom. A movable gate 38, provided near the lower end of the receptacle, is pivoted upon one end at 40, and a convenient handle 41 upon its opposite extremity operating through a slot 4L2 in the side of the receptacle serves to permit its easy operation to admit a proper quantity of the fruit to the feeding device. The bottom of the gate is normally raised above the bottom 34 of the receptacle sufliciently to allow the single pieces of the fruit to pass beneath it, and the gate is arranged at a slight angle to the feeding device, as shown, so that the fruit will be caused to pass beneath the blades on the arms in their downward movement. The angular arrangement of the blades 33 on the arms and the concaved upper surface of each will engage a fruit between it and the back 36 of the receptacle when moving past the bottom of the latter and will take or carry the fruit upward until opposite the mouth of the chute, when it will roll away from the blade and be delivered into the revolving pockets. At the side of the receptacle upon which the fruit is moved upward I provide a way or guide 44, preferably concentric with the circle described by the arms, which serves to position the fruit until the arm has reached such a point that it needs no further support to prevent its falling off the blade into the chute. From this point the guide is curved outward, as at 45, away from the arms. This construction insures a single fruit being guided in its upward movement, and in case two pieces should accidentally be moved upward the upper one will be allowed to roll outward where the guide is cut away before reaching the mouth of the chute, allowing the lower fruit to be carried upward and deposited. The former piece of fruit may then roll back and lodge in the next succeeding pocket if such pocket is not already supplied; other wise it will simply be rolled around until it finally falls back into the receptacle.

A bevel-pinion 50, mounted upon a shaft 51, supported in suitable bearings in the frame, meshes with the gear 25, and upon the outer end of the shaft may be applied a pulley or other convenient means for applying power, and in the present instance 1 have shown a crank arm and handle 52.

The operation of the device will now be readily understood. The fruit being pre viously pared and cored preparatory to being sliced is flattened somewhat across the ends by this operation. Quantities of the fruit thus prepared are placed in the receptacle in front of the feeding mechanism, a few pieces of the fruit passing beneath the gate 38 being allowed to pass to the lower end of the inclined bottom 3 A rotary motion being now given to the operating-handle 52 causes the shaft 11 to be revolved, moving the carrier having the pushers, and through the medium of the gears 25 and 26 and the shaft 27 a similar motion is imparted to the feeding device, the said gears being arranged to relativel y time the rotation of the pockets or feeding mechanism, whereby the arms 32 are re volved at a uniform speed relative to the movement of the carrier, so that a fruit is carried upward and deposited in the chute 37, down which it will roll, falling onto the support, where it will be engaged by one of the advancing pushers 15, thus permitting a fruit to be supplied ahead of each of the arms or sweeps and. the machine to be operated to its full capacity without the liability of supplying the fruit too rapidly. The carrier being revolved. about a common center and the pushers formed with the sloping sides will cause the fruit to move into the outer corner of the pocket, and the irregular surface or inclined portions 60 of the knife-plate over which it is first moved will cause the fruit to adjust itself until it rests upon one of its flattened ends with the core-aperture extending in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 4. The continued movement of the carrier causes the fruit to be moved over the knives and successive slices to be removed therefrom, which pass through the apertures 10, provided beneath the knives. By arranging a series of slicing-knives and a series of revolving heads or pushers moving continuously over the latter the slicing operation may be continued very rapidly and large quantities of fruit sliced in a comparatively short space of time. The stripping or clearing arms 17 following in the rear of each pusher serve to pass the slices through the apertures 10 and by keeping the space below the knives clear prevent any clogging of the latter.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a fruit-receptacle having the stationary head provided with an aperture arranged above the bottom and adapted for the passage of fruit, of a series of connected rotary fruit-lifting blades separated at one side forming open-sided pockets movable in close proximity to the stationary head and operating to lift separate pieces of fruit from the bottom of. the receptacle and hold them against the head so that they may be discharged through the aperture therein.

2. The combination with a fruit-receptacle having a stationary head provided with a discharge-aperture, of a series of connected rotary lifting-plates separated at one side forming open-sided pockets operating in the receptacle, inclined toward the head andmovable in close proximity thereto and operating to lift the separate pieces of fruit from the receptacle holding them against the head and permitting their discharge through the aper ture therein.

3. The combination with a fruit-receptacle having the inclined bottom and the stationary head, of a rotary lifting device operating in close proximity to the head and having liftingplates thereon separated at their sides forming open-sided pockets movable toward and from the bottom of the receptacle and operating to lift separate pieces of fruit, hold them against the head, and permit their discharge above the latter.

4. The combination with a fruit-slicing ma chine embodying cutting-knives and relatively-movable pushcrs, of a fruit-feedingdevice embodying a receptacle having a stationary head or abutment, a series of connected rotary lifting plates separated at one side to form open-sided pockets movable toward and from the bottom of the receptacle and in close proximity to the head to hold single pieces of fruit against the latter, a discharge-passage leading from the head to the space in front of the pushers and connecting operating mechanism for rotating the pushers and lifting device synchronously to cause one piece of fruit to be fed in front of each of the pushers.

5. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a plurality of stationary knives and a plurality of fruit-rmshers movable past the knives, of a hopper or receptacle, a rotary fruit-feeding device operating therein embodying separate fruit-holding devices and timing connections between the feeder and pushers for removing the separate pieces of fruit from the receptacle and depositing them successively in front of the pushers.

6. lln a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a series of stationary knives, a series of rotary fruit-pushers movable above the knives and arms in rear of said pushers moving below the knives, of a feeding mechanism for supplying fruit in front of each of the pushers embodying separate fruit-carrying pockets and timing connections between the feeding mechanism and whereby the contents of each of the pockets of the feeding device will be deposited in front of one of the pushers of the slicer.

7. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combina tion with a support, knives secured thereto at their outer ends, and connections between the inner ends of the knives, of a carrier having fruit-pushers extending radially thereof above the knives, arms on the carrier located in rear of the pushers and extending below the knives, and means for revolving the carrier[ 8. in a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a support, cutting-knives secured to the support at their outer ends, and a ring joining the inner ends of the said knives, of a carrier located within the ring and supported independently thereof, sliding connections between the carrier and the ring for supporting the latter, fruit pushers extending radially from the carrier above the knives, and arms mounted on the carrier and operating below the knives.

9. In a frult-shcing machine, the combination with a stationary knife-support having the cuttlng-kmves, of a movable carrier having the fruit-pushers open upon the forward side and having the curved sides inclining rearwardly and outwardly toward the lower edge, and means for operating the carrier to move the pushers over the knives.

10. In afruit-slicing machine, the combination with a stationary support and the cuttingknives, of a movable carrier having the arms, pushers having the sloping rear and end portions meeting in a curve, the adjustable corner-plate, and means for revolving the carrier to move the arms over the knives.

11. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a fruit-support having a series of inclined portions, and a series of apertures, cutting-knives arranged above the apertures and secured to the support at their outer ends, and connections between the inner ends of the knives, of a movable carrier, the fruit-pushers on the latter and operating above the knives, the clearing-arms mounted on the carrier in rear of the pushers passing between the knives and the plate, and means for operating the carrier.

12. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a fruit-support having the inclined portions, and a series of apertures, cuttingknives arranged above the latter and secured to the plate at their outer ends, and rigid connections between the inner ends of the knives, of a shaft having the carrier supported above the plate, the fruit-pushers, and the clearingarms in the rear thereof mounted on the carrier, said pushers and clearing-arms operating upon opposite sides of the knives, and means for revolving the carrier.

13. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a support having the stationary knives thereon, rotating fruit-pushers, and means for operating the latter above the knives, of an inclined fruit-receptacle, arotary feeding mechanism operating in the lower end thereof embodying separate lifting projections open at one side and adapted to deliver single pieces of the fruit to the pushers, and geared connections between the fruit-pushers and feeding devices for causing their simultaneous operation.

1 1. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a support having a series of stationary knives, a rotary carrier arranged above the support and a series of fruit-pushers, of a stationary fruit-receptacle having the inclined sides and bottom and a vertical wall or head, a rotary feeding device embodying open-sided pockets and arranged at the lower end of the receptacle, and connected for simultaneous operation with the carrier and adapted to elevate single pieces of the fruit above the carrier and deposit them in front of the pushers.

15. In afeedingsdevice for fruit-slicing machines, the combination with a fruit-receptareceptacle, the blades on the wheel open upon one side, and the wall cooperating with the blades having the aperture for the passage of the fruit.

16. In a feeding mechanism for fruit-slicing machines, the combination with a stationary fruit receptacle, and means for causing the fruit to pass into one end thereof, of the wall at the lower end of the receptacle having the aperture, the arms mounted upon a shaft and revolving in proximity to the Wall, the plates or blades on the arms arranged at an angle to the wall forming pockets open in the direction in which the arms rotate, whereby a fruit may be engaged and moved upward and deposited through the aperture, and means for revolving the arms.

17. In a feeding mechanism for fruit-slicing machines, the combination with a stationary inclined fruit-receptacle, the wall at the lower end thereof having the aperture, a shaft, the arms mounted upon the shaft and revolving against the wall, said shaft being arranged approximately in line horizontally with the lower edge of said aperture, the elevatingplates on the arms concaved upon their inner surfaces and arranged at an angle to the wall the latter adapted to guide a fruit while it is being moved upward and having the outwardly-extending cut-away portion below the aperture.

18. In a slicing-machine, the combination with a support having a series of apertures,

radially-extending knives arranged over the apertures and supported at their outer ends, and the stationary ring to which the inner ends of the knives are connected, of the rotary carrier arranged inside the stationary ring upon which the latter is supported, and the pushers on the carrier extending over the stationary ring.

19. In a slicing-machine, the combination with the radially-extending stationary knives, of the rotary carrier having the pusher-plates thereon movable over the knives, and separately adjustable toward and from the latter.

20. In a slicing-machine, the combination with the radially-extending stationaryknives, of the rotary carrier having the pusher-plates arranged above and movable over the knives, said plates being inclined relative to the plane of the knives, and means for separately adjusting them toward and from the knives.

21. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a fruit-support, a series of knives thereon lying in the same plane, of a carrier having fruit pushers operating above the knives, arms on the carrieroperating below the knives and means for revolving the carrier.

22. In a fruit-feeding device, the combination with a stationary fruit-receptacle having the side and end walls, of a plurality of movable fruit-lifting blades or projections open vsaoee toward the side and end walls and adapted to lift and carry fruit in contact therewith one of said walls having a discharge aperture or portion therein and the other a recessed portion below the aperture having its lower wall inclined toward the path described by said blades.

in a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a support having the inclined portions on its upper surface and cutting-knives secured to the support, of pushers mounted upon a carrier and operating past the knives and means for operating the carrier.

24. In a fruit-slicing machine, the combination with a support having cutting-knives and an inclined portion formed on the surface of the support in front of the knives, of pushers mounted upon a carrier and movable past the knives and means for operating the carrier.

25. The combination with a fruit-support having apertures, the ring or curb and knives connected to the ring and support and extending over the apertures, of the rotary carrier operating beneath the ring and on which the latter is supported, the arms on the carrier extending over the ring, and the pusher plates mounted on the arms and separately adjustable toward and from the knives.

26. An automatic feeding device compris ing a rotatable disk-like member provided upon its periphery with a series of open-sided ranged and operating by timing connections between the slicing-machine and feeding devices to take, carry and deliver singly fruit from said hopper to relatively timed, movable compartments of said machine, substantially as specified.

29. In an automatic feeding device, the combination Witha machine provided with a drum having a series of sweeps operating over a horizontal basd, of means for driving said drum, a feed-wheel driven from said drum and having pockets adapted by relatively timing the rotation of said wheel to register with the spaces between the sweeps on said drum; substantially as specified.

\VlLLlAlVi lI. BOUTELL.

Witnesses Greener: J. Lumen, P. Fes'rus Animus. 

